When the Sun Sets
by jrichville
Summary: "Maybe I don't want to be known anymore as the foolish little girl who kept chasing someone who couldn't love her back." Pucca wants to move on, Garu can't let that happen. PuccaXGaru, some ChingXAbyo
1. Do you still love me, Pucca?

**When the Sun Sets**

They see each other, he runs, she chases. It had always been like that between Garu and Pucca. This routine of theirs was getting old. She wanted it to stop. She felt tired, hurt and hopeless.

If she told anyone of this, they would've just looked at her disbelievingly and waited until she reverted back to chasing Garu. She couldn't blame them. A few hours ago, if anyone told her she'd stop chasing Garu, she would've laughed it off and told them that would never happen. But not now.

A few hours ago felt like a wasted lifetime of pursuing something she wasn't meant to have. Pucca closed her eyes and let the memories come.

0o0o0o

She was at the beach strolling when she saw Garu practicing his fighting skills. Normally, Pucca would've leaped up and chased Garu the second she saw him. But at that particular moment, she was content to just sit cross-legged on the white sand and lean against a rock.

He looked magnificent against the orange sky streaked with shades of pink, red and purple. With the setting sun and the glittering ocean behind him, Pucca could see his dark silhouette moving with the grace, speed and power of a jungle cat. Pucca sighed and continued to watch him.

She was so mesmerized by him that she didn't notice Ring-ring make her way towards Garu. Garu stopped his training and looked at Ring-ring swaying nearer until she stopped a few inches from him.

Despite herself, Pucca didn't move from where she was sitting. She just stared transfixed at the scene before.

She couldn't hear what they were talking about but when Ring-ring sent her a look of pure malice and Garu jerked his head towards Pucca looking surprised, she knew they were talking about her. Pucca felt a an unpleasant heaviness drop at the pit of her stomach.

Not knowing what else to do, she started to stand but her eyes did not leave the two.

Ring-ring closed the distance between herself and Garu. She snaked a hand to clutch the back of his neck and pulled him closer. Garu pushed her away but Ring-ring pulled him close to her again. He looked uncomfortable and was sneaking glances at Pucca who was standing there seething in rage.

_How dare she!_ Pucca thought furiously. She marched towards them a dark cloud hanging above her head. She was determind to give that spoiled, conceited and jealous brat a piece of her mind.

Garu saw her making her way towards them and was trying to pull away so he could run but Ring-ring circled his waist with her other hand and clung like a leech. All the while, whispering close to his ear. With a look of panic towards the nearing Pucca, he grabbed Ring-ring by the hips and lowered his lips to hers. The girl moaned in delight and responded to the kiss eagerly.

The kiss ended as soon as it had begun. Garu tore his lips away and firmly pushed the dazed girl from him.

"I told... I told you that would keep her away." Ring-ring said hoarsely smiling wickedly.

True enough, when Garu looked back to where Pucca had been, she was gone.

0o0o0o

Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. Pucca stopped bothering Garu. She stopped giving him that bright smile whenever their eyes met. She stopped trying to kiss him. She stopped chasing him around the village. She just stopped doing things that he had come to associate with only her over the years. When she did that, he realized that he never really knew her before.

She was a hardworker at Goh-Rong. She was sweet and helpful to the Sooga villagers. She was fiercely loyal and protective to those she loved. But to Garu, she acted none of those. Atleast, not anymore.

Oh, she didn't really ignore him. They sometimes even hang out with Ching and Abyo. But when she talked to him, it was in that distant and polite way that he wanted to shake her. He wanted to see the fire he'd experienced all those years dancing back in her eyes.

The thing he regretted the most was that for years he never gave Pucca a chance. If he did, then he would have known that when she rushed towards him, he shouldn't have run away. He should've caught her and not let go. For she was the woman he could've counted on, she was the woman he could've considered his partner and his equal. She was the woman who could've been his to love.

0o0o0o

It was early in the morning and Garu and Abyo were training at the beach when they heard a series of soft feminine laughter. Garu stopped to look where it was coming from and saw Pucca and Ching coming their way holding a picnic basket and a blanket.

Garu hadn't seen Pucca since yesterday so he kept his face expressionless as he drank in the sight of her.

Pucca still wore her black hair in odangas. She was wearing a sleeveless red dress that fell mid-thigh and knee-high black-as-sin boots. She had definitely grown some curves and her attire clung to her in all the right places. Garu stopped himself from swallowing his tongue.

"Dude, eye-candies coming this way." Abyo sighed appreciatively. Garu couldn't agree more even though, he knew Abyo's googley eyes was aimed not at Pucca but at Ching's fitting purple blouse and small white shorts.

"Hey!" Ching and Pucca greeted cheerfully.

"Morning, girls." Garu answered politely.

"What's wrong with him?" Ching asked pointing at Abyo who only grunted as he continued to stare at Ching. Garu only shrugged. Not quite sure how to answer.

Ching turned to Abyo and waved a hand in front of his face to break his trance. Abyo continued to gaze at Ching in a lovestruck manner. Ching looked puzzled as she asked Abyo if he was drunk, hit on the head or replaced by malfunctioning robot.

"Well, baby." Abyo said taking her hand leaning closer "If I said I was malfunctioning, would you take me with your capable hands and fix this heart of mine?"

Ching laughed, "Wow, that was awful."

Abyo snickered, "I know!"

Abyo started rambling and laughing about how good it would be if they were together and Ching was swatting him and telling him to stop teasing her about that. Neither knew that both were serious.

Garu just rolled his eyes at the scene and unintentionally turned his face to Pucca.

His eyes were drawn to hers like magnet and he felt a strange pull deep inside him. How he longed to know what was behind those dark depths._ How do you see me now, Pucca? Is it still with the same love and affection?_

Pucca turned her head and noticed his piercing dark eyes directed at her. Pucca's amused face faded to a blank expression as she looked back at him. With that almost indescernible change of her expression, Garu felt her erect an icy barrier that kept him from reaching her.

"Ching, I think we should leave them to their training." Pucca said turning back to her friend and breaking their eye contact. Garu's gaze never left her but he schooled his features to a bored look.

"Sure." Ching said uncertainly noticing the tension between the two.

"Bye, guys. We have to find some place to set up our picnic." Pucca waved and smiled politely before she turned away carrying the blanket with her. Ching threw one last exasperated look at Abyo before she picked up the basket on the sand and jogged to catch up with Pucca.

Garu heard Abyo groan. "I don't believe this. I can't stop joking around when she won't take me seriously. She won't even believe me when I- What?" Garu turned to see Abyo wearing only his pants, shoes and a puzzled expression on his face. Garu didn't even notice Abyo ripping his shirt to show off.

"What?" Abyo repeated.

"What?" Garu echoed.

"You were staring at them with a pained look on your face." Abyo scratched his head as he regraded him uncertainly as if he wasn't sure at what he saw.

"I wasn't." Garu denied convincingly but his eyes betrayed him when they flickered back to Pucca.

"You miss her." Abyo said without a hint of question or uncertainty in hs voice.

"I miss her." Garu turned to the space where Pucca had been.

Abyo's eyes bugged out. "Woah... I didn't think you would say that out loud." Garu just snorted in disdain.

"Soo... What are you gonna do?" Abyo asked.

He wished he knew.

0o0o0o

That afternoon, Pucca was working at the restaurant and Ching was helping out when Garu ambled inside and walked towards Pucca. Pucca had her back to him and Ching had to elbow her for her to notice him. Pucca looked surprised to see him. She regarded him with a small nod before she continued picking up used bowls and silverware and placing it on her tray. Ching rolled her eyes and took the tray from Pucca.

"Go talk to him." Garu heard Ching whisper as she pointed a thumb in his direction.

"I'm working." Pucca replied trying to take the tray back. Garu took a seat and gestured for Pucca to take his order. He smirked when Pucca raised a brow at him.

"See. Go take his order." Ching looked amused at the silent exchange. Pucca scoffed but did as she asked.

"I'm yours to command. So what do you want, Garu?" Garu grinned at the loaded question.

"Just your time. Come with me to the beach." Garu took her hand. "Come on."

"I-I can't. I'm busy." She stammered but did not pull her hand away.

Garu looked left and right to indicate the now empty restaurant. Pucca blushed when Garu regarded her with a raised eyebrows. "I'm sure your uncles can handle it for a moment."

"I can't just leave Ching here working."

"Actually..." still sitting, Garu looked behind Pucca and saw Ching clearing the tables. "Ching! Abyo's outside looking for you. He said he needed to tell you something important." A delighted Ching thanked him and skipped outside.

Garu turned back to Pucca, who was looking at him suspiciously. "Anything else?"

"What you told Ching, was that a lie?"

"No." that was a half-truth, he corrected in his mind. Abyo was indeed outside but he wasn't looking for Ching. He just said it because he wanted Pucca to run out of excuses and he knew Abyo won't turn Ching away.

"Alright, I'll go with you."

0o0o0o

Here they were again, at the beach, with the sun setting behind the horizon, where his life turned upside down in a span of a three-second kiss.

He wanted his old life back. No. He wanted them better. He wanted a life with the woman he loved.

He needed this moment to right his wrongs.

Romantic ambiance, check. Perfect girl, check. Now, if he could just be the perfect guy, who knew how to be charming and suave and not the tongue-tied idiot he was being now.

Garu placed a hand on the small of her back as he guided her sit on a log. Silence stretched between them since Garu didn't know how to start.

"You wanted to talk about something?" Pucca cast him a cool, impersonal look. This was so far off from the teasing, cheerful girl he knew her to be. _Tease me, chase me, hold me, kiss me, anything but just come back to me._

"You know we never really did talk about what happened here all those months ago." Garu said remembering his confused and panicked self that led him to kiss Ring-ring.

"That doesn't matter anymore." Pucca turned her face away from him and towards the ocean. She closed her eyes and the breeze lifted the strands of hair that had escaped her black odangas. "I would've thought that you of all people would not want a conversation about that."

"Well, I do. You gave up on me after that." Pucca still wasn't looking at him so she didn't notice Garu's face shadow in pain.

Pucca was silent for a minute. "Maybe I don't want to be known anymore as the foolish little girl who kept chasing someone who couldn't love her back." Her voice held no hint to what she was feeling.

"I'm sorry. For everything." He couldn't help himself when he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Pucca didn't move away. He decided that was a good thing.

"It was a long time ago."

"Three months isn't that long."

"I guess it depends on whose point of view. Three months feels like a lifetime away."

They were silent once again. Garu just studied her as the ocean breeze played with her black hair.

"Do you know what Ring-ring said to me that time?" Pucca turned her gaze to his face questioningly "She said she knew of a way to get rid of you." Pucca turned away again.

He figured Pucca already knew they only kissed for that purpose. What she didn't know was why. Ring-ring's motives was simpler. She wanted to feel that she was better than Pucca by hurting her through Garu. Garu's motives however were a lot more complicated.

"I said I wasn't interested and she looked surprised. I realized I rejected her even before I heard her plan."

"Why would you do that?" She whispered hoarsely.

"Somehow, I knew that whatever she was planning would be effective in its purpose and I didn't want that." Pucca scoffed and Garu gave her a small smile "Yeah, that was my reaction too when she pointed that out to me. What scared me though, was when I realized that she was right.

"I didn't even know you were there until she told me. That was when Ring-ring grabbed me and tried to kiss me. She said if I really didn't care about you, that was the time to prove it." Garu laughed bitterly as he stood up with his back to her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and stared unseeingly at the ocean.

"Garu..." she said his name softly caressing every syllable that rolled off her tongue.

"I panicked because I was faced with my growing feelings towards you and I didn't want to admit it even to myself." Garu turned to her. His front was shadowed because of the dimming light behind him. "Do you still hate me, Pucca? For kissing that brat?"

Pucca gave him a small sad smile, "I never hated you, Garu."

Garu sat next to her again and took her hands in his. "Do you still love me, Pucca? Is there any love left? Because, _god_, I've missed you." His voice was rough as it betrayed the emotions he was trying to control.

Pucca tensed and was speechless for a minute until she was finally able to say, "Garu, I don't know. I thought that maybe, it was time for me to move on". She lifted her chin defiantly daring him to contradict her. Despite himself, Garu felt a small relief in seeing the familiar fire in her gaze.

"Pucca, I don't think you-" He stopped himself short knowing it would be a mistake to argue with her about her feelings. "I believe you. Just know that I- I care about you deeply."

He tucked the wayward lock in her ear again then slid his hands to her jaw loving the feel of her soft skin. She closed her eyes her crescent lashes resting on her rounded cheeks. She sighed sadly.

He couldn't tell her he loved her yet. He just couldn't, not when she wasn't sure how she felt about him. It wasn't the right time and he can only take so much disappointment.

"I have to go." she said turning her face away from him abruptly. He dropped his hands from her jaw. She stood up and hurried away from him not even noticing Ching and Abyo looking at her in concern as they held each other's hands.

Abyo must've taken advantage of his little lie. He wanted to smile at his friend's fortune but he couldn't find it in his heart to do it at that moment.

Garu sighed. Atleast some of them wouldn't be alone tonight.

0o0o0o

_I'm sorry, so sorry_. He was a jerk. Where was his sense of honor at that time? His guilt was eating at him but more so his regret for being so blind and ignorant that he couldn't see the precious gift fate bestowed upon him even when the said gift was being thrust to his face for years.

Frustrated, he kicked a pebble in front of him that sent it bouncing off a tree and flying back to him. He dodged it easily inclining his head and missing his ear by inches.

He turned towards a nearby tree and then with an almost superhuman strength and agility, hopped and swung from branch to branch as he climbed it. He was near the top before he settled down and casually leaned his back on the trunk.

He found that he preffered to be up on a tree when he wanted to collect his thoughts. High up, he felt separated from his problems and he felt he could look at them more objectively.

He didn't feel objective at that moment though. When he closed his eyes, all he could see was Pucca, her warm smile, her eyes soft and tender… Damn! He could even _feel _her, the way her soft body would slam against him then fit perfectly with the hard contours of his body…

As a kid, he found her annoying and was really not interested in what she was offering. He had no place in his life for her love. His training and his mission to stop Tobe was all he needed to go on. He preferred to be alone. But through the years, she gradually grew on him. Sometimes, before he could check himself, he found himself watching out for signs of Pucca not with dread but with excitement. Looking back, he knew he kept running away from her out of habit more than anything else. He actually looked forward to their invigorating chase. It was just easier to deny it than accept something as foreign to him as love.

Well, he accepted it but ironically, she was the one denying it now. His mouth twisted in a wry grimace as he stared unseeingly at the lush green scenery before him. The only thing he could see was the memory of Pucca's polite expression, talking to him as if the only thing they shared was a casual hello. They both knew that wasn't the case and there was no point pretending otherwise.

She liked him before, and he can make her like him again.

_I'll get her back._

The statement rang loud and clear in his mind. A sense of rightness filled him. He may not be certain of a lot of things but he knew for certain that he would stop at nothing to get Pucca back. He was nothing if not determined.

He was about to give Pucca a taste of her own medicine. He wouldn't go around literally running after her. He was a strategist and plans for tomorrow were already forming in his mind.

He broke a twig from a nearby branch and was skillfully rolling it between his fingers in an unconscious gesture.

He grinned at the possibilities and determination glinted in his dark eyes.

_Get ready, love. It's my turn._

**I'm pretty much still a rookie in this fanfiction business. So please review so I can improve on my writing. Thank you.**


	2. Maybe you're not what I want anymore

**Author's Notes: Okay, so I originally planned this to be a one-shot but then i realized that if I was an ordinary reader, I would be really pissed that the story would end on a cliff-hanger. So here are some added chapers.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the cartoon, Pucca.**

0o0o0o

With the crunch of gravel, Pucca parked her scooter in front of Garu's house. Pucca always thought that the cabin seemed a bit big for someone who lived only with his cat. Then again, Garu loved his personal space and privacy. That would be quite obvious to anyone who would encounter this remote cabin in the middle of the forest.

Pucca, didn't really come to his house often. Odd as it was, she reasoned to herself during her Garu-chasing years, as she now called it, that Garu deserved a sanctuary where she couldn't bug him. But if he was in any other place in the village, then he knew he had to be prepared.

When she remembered all she did to and for Garu, she couldn't help but wince in embarassment, though incredibly, not with regret. She wondered how she could be so hopelessly in love with him that she could just throw caution to the wind and run to him.

She knew it had only been months since she last did that, but somehow, she felt different. And she knew why. She no longer felt like the idealistic little girl who thought that if she loved someone enough, they would love her back. No. She felt like a woman. A woman who tasted both the bitter and sweet side of love and moved on.

At least, she was trying to move on. It was easy enough to say but when she came to actually trying to do it, it proved to be anything but that.

It would actually help if she could at least have a day without seeing Garu. He seemed to be just about everywhere.

She reasoned that since Abyo was dating her bestfriend, Ching, she was bound to bump into him more often. He was often training or just chatting with Abyo. And everytime the couple excused themselves and left, she was left with Garu who seemed to make it a point to tease and fluster her with his smile, his touch and his unsettling dark eyes.

But he also seemed to have a sudden and intense craving for her uncles' noodles. He came to Goh-Rong every morning to order a bowl then tease her while she jots down his order. You'd think she could just write it down for a second then leave him without much effort. But he seemed to relish getting her flustered and irritated enough to make her want to strangle him.

"Hey, love." He said earlier that morning. She ignored the jolt of pleasure she felt at the endearment. "I'll take today's special but make it Pork Lo Mein instead of Chicken Chow Mein and instead of man tou, make it a Ramen."

Pucca struggled to keep her tone casual, "Then there's nothing in your order that resembled today's special."

"Then again... I'll take whatever you're offering." Then he winked. When she turned away, he called her name and she turned to face him again. She couldn't help but drop her icy facade and cast him an impatient glare. "Oh, and throw in a chili pepper or two... I like it hot." Pucca abruptly turned away from his burning gaze. She didn't see him grin at the sight of her red face.

After he'd taken a mouthful of the dish she served him, he smirked "You made this, didn't you?" Pucca just shrugged seemingly nonchalant, "Well, thanks for the bowl of chili pepper noodles. I liked the hint of chicken." then continued eating without even breaking a sweat much to her chagrin.

To make things worse for her, she had to deliver him noodles to his house every afternoon for the past week. Though, she knew Goh-Rong's food was superb. She didn't know how he could stomach his new diet of eating the same kind of food everyday.

Pucca came up the front porch and rang the door bell. After a minute of silence, she pressed on the button again. When there was still no answer she decided to go round his house to see if he was at the back.

Sure enough, she could hear him grunting under his breath. She was following the direction of the sounds when she stopped dead in her tracks.

Garu was wearing black jeans, shoes, and nothing else. There was definitely not an ounce of excess fat on his lean and muscular frame. His shoulders were broad, his hips were lean and his abdomen was rippled with hard muscles. To her chagrin, she could remember the feel that hard body pressed to hers. Pucca felt her throat tighten.

She never saw Garu take his shirt off before. She saw Abyo do it many times before and the sight of his muscular and somewhat bulky physique had not much affect on her. But the sight Garu now, made her catch her breath. He oozed with raw sex appeal, earthy ruggedness and Pucca was immobilized by the undercurrent of excitement that coursed through her veins.

His one arm circled a bundle of wood while he propped an axe on his shoulder with his other hand. He gleamed from the sweat of his labor. His muscles bunched at the effort of lowering his burden. That was when he turned to face her.

"You've been standing there for a while," He said casually swiping the the sweat on his brow with the back of his hand. Pucca felt her stomach turn over as she realized he knew she was staring. "Sorry you had to wait there but I had my hands full." He said as he pointed to the pile of wood. "I was planning on making some repairs for the house."

"It's okay, should I just leave your food by the porch?" She said already turning away.

"Relax, Pucca. I won't bite." He grinned wolfishly as he ambled towards her. "Besides I haven't even paid you yet."

_Oops._ Her brain refused to function properly when she was faced with this perfect male specimen. And it was all _his _fault.

"Here." He said as he took a couple of bills from his wallet before placing it back in his back pocket. "What's the hurry? You got anymore deliveries?"

"Not really, I saved you for last." She reached for the bills but he grasped her hand.

"Should I be flattered? Or did you want to prolong the inevitable?" He asked even though, they both knew she came to him last because his house was the farthest.

"What? I didn't... I meant I... " Flustered yet again, she let out a gust of breath passed her clenched teeth irritatedly. "Since when did you become such a teasing devil?"

Garu shrugged before leaning forward supported by a hand on the wall near her head. "You've been quite chilly to me for a while and I miss some of that fire you're hiding... Either with passion or temper, I want it."

Surprised at his profound statement and the sincerity on his eyes, she could only stare back wide-eyed. "Besides, I like seeing you blush." He added with an enigmatic smile and she did just that.

She turned her face away but he captured her chin and gently tilted it up so she could meet his gaze. His eyes slid from her eyes to her lips and lingered there. He then leaned closer, slowly so she could still turn away. Mesmerized, she couldn't help but close her eyes.

0o0o0o

At the first brush of his lips against hers, Garu felt an electrifying heat go through him. _How could he turn away from this before?_ But then, he realized he wanted it too much. The intensity of something meant to be so innocent wasn't something he wanted to face.

But, _damn,_ he wanted it now. Groaning, he held her by the arms and shifted to deepen the kiss.

_"Meow!" _the sounds came from more than one source.

At the sound, Pucca jumped away from him as if by burned. And maybe she was.

Garu turned and glared at Pucca's pink cat and even his traitorous black one.

"Yani..." Pucca called breathlessly and the cat jumped into her arms. Pucca, red-faced, wouldn't look at him. She opened her mouth as if she was going to say something before she clamped it shut. Without another word, she turned and walked to the front of his house where her scooter was.

Garu, hurried after her. "Yeah, that's it. Run away." Without thinking, the words slipped from his lips.

Pucca stopped but didn't face him.

Inscensed, at her lack of reaction, Garu's words was laced with bitterness he didn't bother to hide. "You know, I'm starting to wonder if that's really you and what happened to the real Pucca." He placed his hands on his lean hips intimidatingly. "The real Pucca isn't scared of her feelings. She wouldn't runaway even if the odds are stacked against her. And she wouldn't turn tail and run away if she wants something. She would've pursued it to no end."

Pucca abruptly turned and faced him her chest falling and rising rapidly in her anger. "Maybe you're not what I want anymore. Ever thought of that? Or is your ego so big that you can't grasp that?" Her voice was almost shouting. Her words shot fear and pain straight through his being. He determinedly pushed them away from his mind.

"I find that hard to believe after our little show earlier." His voice was low but could send a dangerous chill up one's spine. Yani, shrank at his voice and tucked her head at the crook of her owner's arm.

"Because that's exactly what it was, wasn't it Garu? A show! A show of dominance on your part. Because you want to prove that you still have power over me!" Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes but she was trying so hard to blink them back.

Garu felt shame and guilt at the sight of her teary eyes. She misinterpreted his guilty look and she paled. He took a step nearer to her a hand raised wanting to hold her. She shook her head and held up a hand to stop him. "I'm going and I don't want you following me." With Yani in her arms she turned and walked to her scooter.

Garu called after her retreating form. "The only reason I know that you're still the real Pucca is because you're still as stubborn as ever!"

_"Meow.."._

Garu turned to his black cat, "You were supposed to be on my side." Mio only continued to stare at Yani who was in the basket of Pucca's scooter.

_"Meow..." _the cat sounded sad and longing. Garu didn't know how he knew that's what Mio was feeling. Perhaps, it was because that was exactly how he felt.

_Meow indeed,_ Garu thought.

0o0o0o


	3. I'm not giving up that easily

Alright, he had to admit that he needed help. He needed help from someone he knew he could trust his feelings with. Someone who have had the similar girl problems but surpassed them. Someone who was in a happy relationship.

"Abyo, can I talk to you for a minute?" Garu's voice was low and seemingly casual. Abyo turned to the frowning Garu and dropped the hammer carelessly on the work table. They were at the basement making a few repairs and maintenance on Garu's house.

"Yeah?" Abyo inquired curiously.

"I need some advice about... about Pucca." Garu said his face carefully blank.

Abyo beamed. "I knew was something was up when you asked me for help on renovating a wall. I mean, come on! You can do this yourself and you don't normally ask for help unless you're desperate. I wondered when you were getting round to saying the real purpose why I'm here. I was starting to doubt if my suspicions were right because it took you sooo... long to speak up. We're even almost finish with the repairs." Abyo pointed to the work table not even the least bit breathless from his long yet quickly-spoken speech.

"You done?" Garu drawled.

"Yup... just wanted to let that out." Abyo waggled his eyebrows at him. "So, what do you want to know?"

Garu felt trepidation churning in his stomach. He wanted to scold himself for his weakness but as he looked at his overexcited companion who looked ready to burst from his skin, he couldn't help but wonder why Garu picked him again.

0o0o0o

Ching was cleaning the counter when Pucca walked through the swinging doors with a black box wrapped with a red silk ribbon. "Ooh... Pucca! You have a present." Ching asked leaning over the counter to get a better look.

Several customers were also not bothering to hide their curiosity as they watched Pucca make her way through the maze of tables.

Pucca just shrugged wordlessly before heading straight to the kitchen and away from prying eyes.

Ching followed her friend eagerly. "Who's it from?" she asked just as Pucca placed the box on a table. Her uncles were busy with their cooking and didn't give her any mind.

"Garu." Pucca answered tonelessly. She didn't really know what to think when Dada nervously held the present out to her and told her it was from Garu. She felt curious, excited, apprehensive, and irrititated at the same time.

She didn't know why he'd even given her a gift when he didn't even bother to give it to her in person. Not that she wanted to see him, of course.

Was the gift a peace offering for his perfectly horrid treatment of her yesterday?_ Yes, it was horrid_, Pucca had to remind herself.

Or was it his way of letting her know that he wasn't going to give up. _Give what up? What did he hope to achieve?_

Pucca really didn't know what was going through Garu's head at the moment but maybe what's inside the elegantly wrapped box could shed some light.

"Come on!" Ching said looking as if she would tear the wrapper herself any moment now.

"Alright!" Pucca rolled her eyes as she undid the red bow. She couldn't ignore the rapid pacing of her heart as she lifted the lid.

"What the-"

"Huh?"

Both girls blinked in surprise before they looked at each other disbelievingly.

Pucca reached inside the box and got out the rounded red fruit. "Why would he give me freakin' _tomatoes_?"

Ching had a puzzled frown on her face and she looked inside the box to see what else was in there. "Tomatoes...tomatoes... Well, here are some seeds. Probably, tomatoes. Oh, wait- a note" Ching held out the note to Pucca.

Pucca took the note and read aloud, "Because you're just as good for my heart."

Pucca bit her lip from laughing when she saw Ching's eyes narrow suspiciously.

"I never thought this was Garu's style... Pucca, I need to, um, take my break. I'll be right back." With that, Ching went out the kitchen door.

Then, when she couldn't help the bubbles of laughter rising inside her, she laughed whole-heartedly. Her three uncles glanced her way looking surprised but glad. She hadn't laughed like that for a long time. She realized that at that moment, she didn't feel confused, lost, sad or any of the emotions that had been her companion for months. She didn't care how cheesey that line was because at that moment, she just felt light and carefree.

0o0o0o

For the next few days, Garu had given Pucca all sorts of gifts that had never failed to put a smile on her face. Everytime one of them saw his gifts from the restaurant's doorstep, Pucca would just try to appear unaffected.

She couldn't fool Ching or her uncles though. They could see the familiar sparkle in her eyes whenever she received the gifts.

Among his gifts, what touched her most though, was when he sent her a small worn out black shoe. Though there was no message to explain why he sent it, she knew just the same.

It had been hers when they were kids. She was about to run to him when she slipped on a slick surface on the floor and sent her shoe flying to Garu before it dropped unto his hand. Clutching her shoe, Garu ran. And wearing only one shoe, Pucca ran after him.

And after almost a decade, he still kept it. _Why?_

It wasn't safe for her state of mind to just give her heart free rein but she still couldn't stop herself from feeling warm and hopeful at the thought of Garu really falling for her. Because she had to admit that she had loved Garu with the purity, honesty and even impulsiveness of a little girl. But she loved him now with the depth, passion and maturity of a young woman.

She wanted to move on to someone who would atleast make her life easier but she coudn't. She was drawn to the depth and complexities that made Garu who he was. Pucca wanted to be free of the bonds that always led her back to Garu but she couldn't because she knew Garu was a part of her and she was afraid that he always will be.

But she couldn't just lay her heart on the line and pursue Garu. She couln't risk her heart any more than it already was. Not when she wasn't sure what Garu really wanted from her, if he was even really sure of his feelings. Pucca didn't know how her heart could cope if his feelings faded or if he didn't really love her and was only nursing an injured pride.

Pucca hadn't seen him for days and the last time she saw him was the day that they, in a sense... exchanged goods. She never caught him on the act of placing each gift on the doorstep but she made sure that whenever she went outside to get the gift she would school her features to a cool, indifferent mask. She knew he might be watching and she didn't want him to know how much he really _did_ have power over her.

Just a touch and she couldn't turn away. Just a kiss and she was a wreck. Anymore and she would throw caution to the wind and let her heart win from her brain.

0o0o0o

"It's not working." Garu mumbled to himself as he peeked from the shadowed area from where he was hiding. He saw Pucca bend down and picked up the box with cool indifference before shrugging and carrying the box inside.

Garu sighed. He needed someone else's help. Someone who would be close enough to know what was going on inside that restaurant and, of course, inside Pucca's head.

He needed Ching.

Unfortunately, Ching was as loyal to Pucca as Abyo was loyal to Garu.

Ching had questioned Abyo about Garu's plans the moment he sent the first gift. Abyo wouldn't say anything because Garu told him not to. He wasn't sure Ching wouldn't jeopardize his plans especially since Garu assumed she knew how he hurt Pucca. But now... Now, he knew he had to convince Ching that he would never let anything harm her best friend.

Garu propped his shoulder against the wall of a building that hid him from view. He was still deep in thought about how he could get Ching to talk to him when the object of his thoughts walked idly passed him.

She couldn't see him. But Garu did.

A thought struck him but he knew the idea was risky, maybe even stupid, especially since Ching was a lot stronger than she looked and could really give a fight.

_Damn it, but here goes..._

With the sudden burst courage, Garu speeded up to Ching and grabbed her by the waist and under her knees. Ching let out a startled scream as she found herself being carried bodily by Garu to the woods.

In no time at all, they were out of the village and Garu let Ching down.

Confused and angry, Ching pushed Garu away from her. "What in the world do you think you're doing!"

"I needed to talk to you in private." he explained.

"Couldn't you just _ask_ me like a normal person?" Ching put her hands on her waist in consternation.

"I wasn't sure that you weren't going to yell for Pucca right then and there."

"Soo... What do you want so badly that you resort to kidnapping me?"

Garu flushed in embarassment, "Pucca." He then shoved his hands in his pockets then turned around not wanting to face her.

Ching's lips pursed in amusement. "I know that part. So what about her?"

"Just need some tips... or anything you can tell me about her."

"You want my help." She said a matter-of-factly. It grated on him and he didn't answer.

"What _do _you want?" Ching raised a brow at his continued silence. "Well?"

Garu mumbled something Ching couldn't hear. "What did you say?"

Garu turned around sharply and faced her. "I said I want your help, okay!" His voice was a llittle louder than he considered and the girl blinked at him in surprise but there was a spark of triumph in her eyes.

"Now, the problem here Garu is that I won't do anything that would hurt Pucca and-"

"I wont hurt her." he interrupted.

"-and I don't know why you're doing this." She continued as if she didn't hear anything. "You didn't want her back then. Why do you want her now?"

Garu's eyes narrowed on her but he forced himself to say the words. "I wanted her then, and I want her now. The only difference is that this time, I'm more than willing to meet her halfway. And if she wont... then I'm not going to give up easily. Just as she did all those years ago."

Ching bit her lip to keep the grin off her face then said in a somber tone, "Do you love her?"

Garu didn't answer but the light in his eyes told Ching all she needed to know.

Ching's face broke into a huge grin and she squealed in delight. Garu fought to keep himself from wincing and instead let out a sigh of relief.

"So can you tell me anything that could help me with Pucca?"

"I can't tell you any of the things Pucca told me of course. but-" Ching reached inside her pocket and withdrew a folded piece of paper. "I'll give you something better."

Garu took the paper and unfolded it. He frowned, not quite understanding the implications. "Wait, this is-"

"Its a want ad." She said smugly.

"You want me to... "

"Apply at Goh Rong. The restaurant's celebrating their tenth anniversary and we need more help. Especially, Pucca. She's the one organizing the event. She's going to need assistance and that's where _you_ come in. Apply as her assistant for the time being and you'll get to spend time together.''

"Wow, thanks Ching. You are definitely the best." His voice was awed then a thought struck him. "But what about the other applicants. Pucca might choose someone differently. God knows, she wouldn't want me shadowing her every way."

"That could be a problem except... Pucca's too busy to interview applicants. I, on the other hand, am not. She sent me to deal with that." Ching's smile was mischievous as she reached for his hand before vigorously shaking it. "Consider yourself hired, Garu."


	4. To move on or hold on

It was a beautiful morning in Sooga village. The sun was peeking from the mountains coloring the blue sky with hues of pink and orange. The place had a serene quality with only the birds' singing to break the silence.

But not for long.

"YOU WHAT!" Birds flew away in panic at the sound of Pucca's booming voice.

The three master chefs, Linguini, Ho, and Uncle Dumpling eyed each other worriedly before going back to their cooking. But every now and then, they glanced up and listened to the unfolding conversation furtively.

"Pucca, calm down..." Ching looked as calm and reasonable as Pucca looked annoyed and frustrated. "You said I could hire anyone who passed my judgement."

They were at Goh-Rong's kitchen preparing for the day and at the same time making plans for the restaurant's anniversary. It was there that Ching casually said that she found someone who could fill the job vacancy.

"Yes! But why _him_? There are a number of people who could be my assistant." Pucca slapped a plam on her forehead before dragging it to her hair in an irritated gesture.

"Yeah? Name one." Ching challenged crossing her arms as she leaned on the countertop.

"Well..." Pucca's fading voice betrayed her uncertainty. "How about Santa?"

"Pucca, its nearly 2 months before Christmas. He has a _real_ job to manage."

"Abyo?"

"I love him, you know I do. But... I can't say he won't burn down this kitchen." Ching shrugged "You know he has a short attention span."

"Then anyone of the other villagers will do." Pucca eyed her supposed best friend pleadingly.

"Who? One of the smiley men? I know they creep you out." Pucca suppressed the urge to shudder. "Besides, Garu can do the job as efficiently as ten men. You know that."

"But _I_ can't. I can't do my job properly if he's hovering over me. You know how its been with us lately... He'll do everything he can to mess up my head. He'll- he'll tease me and infuriate me and- and flirt with me. And I might- " Pucca plopped down on a chair feeling drained.

Ching pushed herself from the countertop and approached Pucca before laying a sympathetic hand on her friend's shoulder. "You'll do fine Pucca. You're gonna have to face Garu sooner or later. The big event's a few days from now and everything's going to change after that. You know why?"

Pucca didn't answer instead she stared out the window.

"If you spend these next few days with him," Ching continued knowing that Pucca was still listening, "You'll be able to clarify you're feelings for each other. The uncertainty of the situation is eating at you and in a few days you'll know where you stand. Don't you want that? To know whether you have to move on or hold on?"

Pucca thought that it wasn't exactly a question of what she wanted. It was more of a question about what she needed. And she knew she needed to know what to do next if she had any hope for a not-so-messed-up love life.

She guessed that it didn't mean Garu needed to shadow her every second of the day for their feelings to be clear. Maybe they needed their time apart so they would more objective. Then again, maybe she needed to know just how far Garu would be willing to go for her. An employer-employee situation would be to her advantage. But would that be fair to Garu?

Maybe she was just overthinking things. The more she tried to analyze the situation, the more confused she got.

Pucca sighed and threw her hands up in resignation, "Alright! He can work here temporarily."

"Yes!" Ching pumped her fist in the air in triumph. "I knew you'd see things my way."

Pucca rolled her eyes and said dryly, "You can talk a used car salesman into buying an old beat-up junk-on-wheels."

Ching giggled, "I'll take that as a compliment."

Pucca looked heavenward before turning around stalking to the door. She grabbed the handle and flung open the door. She gasped in surprise when she saw the six-foot plus object of their conversation standing in front of her with the same surprised look on his handsome face.

Pucca just stood there as she blinked up at Garu. _How long had he been standing there? Did he hear them talking?_

Garu gave a half smile. "Hi Boss, old beat-up junk-on-wheels reporting for duty. Metaphorically speaking, of course."

Well that answered her question.

0o0o0o

_Move on or hold on. _The words were repeating in Garu's head like a mantra. He didn't mean to eavesdrop. He was just trying to find Pucca when he heard his name.

_He'll- he'll tease me and infuriate me and- and flirt with me. And I might- _

Might what? Strangle him? Give in? He would give anything for him to hear Pucca complete that sentence.

Ching was right, though. The situation with Pucca was either all or nothing. He needed this time to prove to her that he was worth holding on to.

But she wasn't making it easy.

Garu had been waiting for a while in the kitchen for Pucca to tell him what needed to be done but Pucca seemed too busy writing to pay him any mind.

"What's this?" Garu looked at the thick roll of paper Pucca was handing to him. It was the paper she had been writing on.

"It's your duties for the day." Garu took them from her hands as he accidentally-on-purpose caressed the soft skin of her palm with his fingers. He felt a jolt of electricity run through his fingers at the innocent contact.

He kept his face blank when he heard her barely audible sharp intake of breath. "I-I need to, um, do a few things. So I guess, I'd be going now." She turned and Garu watched her walk away looking as if a rod was up her spine.

"Pucca." He called and Pucca half turned his way. "I thought you needed me to assist you with organizing or whatever it is you need to do?"

"Sure. You'll help me by doing the things on the list."

Garu unrolled the paper and the bottom half fell to the floor. A gush of air escaped his lungs in surprise.

He started to read and he cocked his eyebrows at the first items on the list. "You want me to wash all the pans and dishes, make 500 posters about Goh-Rong's anniversary, wash the windows three times and what the- You want me to paint the _roof_?" he voiced incredulously.

"Yes." Pucca faced him fully and planted her feet apart in a stubborn stance.

"First of all, I don't need to wash dirty dishes since Dada is already the dishwasher. And since you put Ching in charge of advertising, poster-making is her job. And why do I need to wash the windows_ three _times?"

Pucca's eyes were narrowed as she looked at Garu cooly, "I like clean windows." Garu ambled towards Pucca invading her personal space. Pucca didn't budge but Garu saw her breath quicken.

"And the roof? Why does it need painting _now?_" Garu's voice was low pitched as he crossed his arms and gazed down at her.

She looked up at him defiantly. When she didn't answer, he said softly "My job was to help you in organizing whatever party it is you planned for this restaurant. You wrote a hundred things on this list but none achieves the purpose of my being here."

"Your _job _was to follow my orders. But alright, scratch the jobs intended for someone else and do the rest." Pucca pursed her lips.

"Come on," He whispered as he came nearer her his stormy dark eyes searching hers, "Don't you want me to help you?"

"Don't do that." She said breathily before she bit her lip uncertainly and looked away.

"Do what?" There was a small enigmatic smile on his face as he looked at her sweet mouth. He remembered their kiss and his eyes warmed.

"You're trying to seduce me." Pucca blushed at her words.

Surprised at her statement, Garu's smile became a full-fledged grin and his eyes twinkled humorously, "I would only call it seduction if it's working, love. Otherwise, I'm just doing some harmless flirting."

"Don't call me that. I'm your boss now, Garu so do what you're told." She stepped back and cleared her throat. She seemed to have regained her composure. "If you're finished by the time I get back, you can help me with the decorations, or whatever. Right now, I have to do the deliveries among other things." With that she turned and walked away.

Garu watched her retreating back feeling hopeful yet frustrated at the same time. He needed to spend time with her but the offhanded way she told him that he could help her with the decorations told him that she was confident that he wouldn't be able to finish his duties in time.

_Love, I'll show you that I can be as stubborn as you._

0o0o0o

Pucca found herself returning to the restaurant an hour earlier than she expected. She tried to tell herself that the excitement she was feeling as she parked her scooter was not associated at the thought of seeing Garu but she wasn't really good at lying to herself.

Her strategy on how to keep Garu at arms length was to tell herself that what she felt for him didn't matter. The excruciating pain she would feel if she let herself hope would outweigh the warm pleasure she felt during her moments with Garu.

She deliberately slowed her steps as she rounded the restaurant and walked through the backdoor.

She fought down the pleasure she felt at the sight of Garu. He was joking and laughing with her uncles as he threw upward each fruit and vegetable before catching one mid-air, chopping it then catching another one with ease.

"Show-off." Pucca grinned and Garu whipped his head as he turned to look at her.

"Why? You impressed?" He extended a hand on his left side his palm facing upward and caught the tomato that dropped on his hand.

Pucca laughed her and she shook her head in amusement.

"Hey Garu," Garu turned to Uncle Dumpling, "Mind giving me that?"

Garu threw him the tomato and Uncle Dumpling caught it in one hand. He sliced and carved the plump fruit into a flower before artistically placing it on a dish as garnish.

"Nice touch, Uncle." Pucca said.

"Yeah, thought so too. By the way Garu, where'd you buy these tomatoes you gave to Pucca?" Uncle Dumpling asked and Pucca felt like shrinking at the mention of the gift.

"I grew them, actually. I have a vegetable garden in my backyard." Garu replied. "You like them?"

"I think you did a nice job on them." Linguini responded, "We actually use them for our recipes. Pucca likes them too. I didn't even know she liked them that much until I noticed that she ate them everyday. She said it was good for her heart or something like that."

Pucca felt her face heat and she hoped she wasn't as bright red as a tomato.

She wouldn't look at Garu but she felt his searing gaze on her. "Is that right?" Garu drawled and Pucca knew he was smirking.

Ho chuckled, "Atleast she kept the seeds you gave her."

Pucca's eyes widened. She knew where this was going. "Ookay... let's go back to work. There are hungry customers out there and-"

"Relax, Pucca. It's the afternoon and things are slowing down now." Uncle Dumpling handed Dada the dish he worked on the second the latter came in. "See? No more orders." He said when Dada hurriedly disappeared from the kitchen.

"Did you plant them, Pucca?" Garu asked her softly and she turned to look at him. Pucca realized that he wasn't smirking at all. In fact, his face was unreadable but there was an intensity in his eyes as he looked at her.

"She did. She even named it-"

"Garu!" Linguini stopped talking. Pucca's voice held a hint of panic and she cleared her throat. "Did you finish the list?"

This time, Garu smirked. "Of course. Did you doubt it?"

She did and Pucca stared at him in disbelief. "They're all done? You even painted the roof?"

"Yup"

"You dug another compost pit at the back?"

"Yup."

"Did you do an inventory for the food in the stock room?"

"Yup"

"What?" Ho looked at Pucca curiously, "We already did that, remember? We just found that we're going to need more chili peppers and rice and -"

_Oh, man... _"Thank you, uncle." Pucca's smile was a little too bright "That's right, we did but I, um, I just wanted to be sure." She could tell that Garu didn't buy her story. He crossed his arms and looked at her meaningully.

"And the windows?" Pucca hesitated to ask.

"Yup." Garu's head jerked towards the window as if he saw something before shaking his head. "You know these birds keep slamming on the now invisible glass."

Pucca rolled his eyes thinking he was kidding but the pigeon that caught his attention crashed on the glass before it got up and tried again on the other glass windows.

_Thud!_

_Thud!_

_"_Oh for pete's sake! Stupid bird. I thought only flies do that." Pucca went to the window and shooed the dazed bird.

"Told you." Garu said smugly. "Come on, let's get started on those decorations you were talking about."

"Really?" Pucca became more uncomfortable just thinking about being alone with him. She couldn't count on Ching since she was already on a date with Abyo. And her uncles told her they'd get started on working on a menu for the party after they closed the restaurant. "Are you sure you're not tired yet? It's a bit late and you did an awful lot of work."

"I promise to behave myself but If you'd rather I spend my time with your uncles, it's fine by me. I'm sure they have a lot to tell me about the plant you-"

"Bye guys! Garu and I need to go." Pucca grabbed his arm and pulled him through the backdoor.

When they reached Pucca's scooter, she handed him a helmet.

Garu took it then he swung a leg over the scooter and sat behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

Pucca felt his warmth on her back and despite herself, she felt pleasure rising in her. She could also feel Garu's rapid heartbeat making a tattoo on her back. Until that moment, Pucca never considered that they would actually have to be so close together.

"Mind giving me a little space?" She mentally congratulated herself at her calm and steady voice.

"No way, this is the first time I'm on your scooter so be gentle with me, love."

His whispered words in her ear plus the tenderness in his voice when he said the endearment made her heart clench painfully.

_0o0o0o_

To her immense surprise, her afternoon with Garu had been relatively peaceful. They were at Pucca's kitchen table and they shaped and molded paper mache skeletons, carved pumpkins, sew halloween costumes while they talked and joked like it was the most natural thing in the world.

After all the stress she'd been experiencing lately, it was nice to relax in Garu's company. Though sometimes she gets disconcerted whenever she caught him looking her way, she could see he was really trying to get her to be more comfortable in his presence. The thought made her smile.

"What is it?" Garu looked at her with a funny expression on his face.

"Nothing, really." Pucca smiled at him from across the table. "By the way, what costume are you going to wear for the party?"

"Do I have to? I thought I'm going to have to be a waiter or something?" He said as he turned his attention back to the pumpkin he was carving.

"It's a _costume_ party. Dada's the waiter but even he has to wear a costume. Besides, all of us can have some fun. After the food and drinks are served, the music is started, the guests are going to want to have fun on their own."

Garu looked as if he had an idea for a costume and Pucca said, "A ninja costume does not count on you."

Garu grinned, "Spoilsport" then he turned the pumpkin's menacing face around to face Pucca. "What do you think?"

Pucca eyed it appreciatively, "Nice."

"Nice?" Garu pretended to be offended, "It's supposed to be scary."

Pucca laughed, "Sorry if I can't find anything horrifying at a ghost pumpkin rolling towards me and bumping my foot."

Just then, the grandfather clock chimed and Pucca looked surprised when she looked at the time. "Oh, Garu I'm sorry. I didn't notice how late it is and-" She stopped talking when Garu got up from his chair and came round the table and towards her.

He held out a hand and after a brief hesitation on her part, she laid her hands on his rough palm. He gave her a relieved smile. Then he looked at her so tenderly that she didn't protest when he gently pulled her up from her chair.

"Don't be sorry because I'm not. I will never regret my time with you." He said sincerely. "Goodnight, Pucca."

He turned to leave and without thinking, Pucca shot out her hand to grip his forearm. His questioning eyes looked back at her confused ones. She let his arm go but he caught her hand with his. He came nearer towards her and slid his other hand to her jaw and lowered his head to her.

The atmosphere seemed to crackle with tension and Pucca felt her heart pound in anticipation when Garu angled his face and laid his lips on her cheeks.

"See you tomorrow, love." she felt his warm breath on her skin and Pucca only nodded unable to speak for the moment.

When Pucca closed the front door behind him, she gently touched her warm cheek with her fingers. For the life of her, she couldn't wipe the smile on her face when she thought of tomorrow.


	5. Crossing the line of friends to lovers

"Are we there yet?" Ching couldn't see a thing. Abyo insisted that she wear a blindfold before he could show her his surprise.

Ching could feel and hear the dried leaves and twigs crunching beneath her feet, not to mention the woodsy smell around her. She figured that they were somewhere near or in the forest.

"Not yet." Abyo swept her off her feet and the girl squealed and laughed as she felt herself being cradled in his strong arms. "The ground's uneven. You could trip." He said as a way of explaination.

"Really? I thought, you just wanted me in your arms." She teased.

Ching felt his chest rumble in a deep and throaty laugh, "That too." Then she was gently lowered to her feet.

"Ready?" She could hear the excitement in his voice as he whispered near her ear.

"I've been ready for the last ten minutes since you blindfolded me." Ching could almost see his lips stretching into that familiar smile that always made her heart skip.

He kissed her cheek and lowered the blindfold. Ching blinked at the sunlight directed at her and let her eyes adjust to the light. Then she gasped at the breathtaking sight before her.

She was safely standing several feet before the edge of a cliff but she could see the lake below sparkling like blue crystal and surrounded by trees that were colored by the autumn season. The setting sun colored the sky like an artist's pallete with its shades of red, pink and orange. She walked nearer the edge and sighed at the beauty of it all.

"Oh, Abyo..." She turned her shining eyes to look for him and she saw him under a tree sitting on a blanket as he waited for her. He had a picnic basket in front of him and he smiled as he patted the space beside him invitingly.

She sat beside him before throwing her arms around his neck and giving him the sweetest kiss she only ever experienced wih Abyo.

"Flowers for my lady." He said as he handed her a bouquet of roses. She took them before throwing her arms again around Abyo's neck.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She said peppering his face with kisses.

"Happy first monthsary to you too." Abyo said looking just as happy for her enthusiastic response.

They were spending the morning eating, drinking and laughing at each other's stories when Ching asked how he found this place.

"I'd say that this is all me but I'd be lying." Abyo shrugged, "I asked Garu what would be the perfect gift to give you and he told me about this place. He said it was his way of thanking us for helping him with Pucca."

"Aww... that was actually sweet of him." Ching laid her head on his shoulder as they looked at the scenery before them. "At least I'm glad to see that he's actually making progress with Pucca."

"Really? I hadn't been with them enough lately to notice." Abyo scratched his head trying to remember the last time he had seen them together.

"That's because if they aren't at the restaurant working, they're at Pucca's house and still working. But lately this past few days, they're getting along extremely well. They're talking and laughing as they work. I swear I even see them smiling at each other when they're not even talking." Ching smiled at the memories. "I've never seen Pucca this relaxed and friendly with Garu before."

"So they're friends again?" Abyo asked amazed at what his girlfriend was telling him about they're friends.

"I think it's a little bit more than that." Ching said feeling giddy. She raised her glass to her lips then sipped some of her champagne.

"But they're not together yet, are they?" Abyo sounded exasperated.

"I think it's a good idea that Garu's trying to take things a little slower this time to gain her trust. I know Pucca's still inlove with Garu but she's just afraid to trust him not to break her heart again."

"Garu wouldn't do that." Abyo said loyally as he filled their glasses with more champagne. "He wouldn't say it out loud but I know he's totally inlove with her too."

"I know, that's the reason I gave him the job." She lifted her head from his shoulder and shifted in her seat as she looked at Abyo. "You should come by the restaurant more often so you'll see what I'm talking about."

"You know what? I think I will." They smiled before they clinked their champagne glasses together.

0o0o0o

Pucca was in her kitchen tasting the different dishes her uncles provided for her when she heard a tap on the window behind her.

She gasped in surprise when she saw Garu standing outside her house looking at her through the glass.

Pucca pulled open the window. Garu leaped inside and landed firmly on his feet. Trust Garu to come through anywhere but the door.

"What are you doing here, Garu? Shouldn't you be at the restaurant helping my uncles?"

"I should be helping _you_, remember?" Garu told her for the hundredth time but his eyes were lingering on the food on the dining table. "_And _they said I could help choose the menu for the party."

Pucca shook her head fighting the smile tugging at her lips, "You're here for the _food._"

Just then, there was a knock on her front door. "Can you get that for me, please?" With one last glance at the table, he hurried to open the door.

Pucca returned to her seat and resumed taking notes for the menu when Garu came back with Ching and Abyo.

"Ching! Abyo! This is a nice surprise. What are you-"

"Jajangmyeon noodles, my favorite!" Abyo said gleefully before turning to Pucca, "Oh, hey Pucca!"

Pucca leaned elbow on the table and placed her chin on her knuckles then gazed at the crowd in her kitchen. "Don't tell me. My uncles told you to come here because they became paranoid about the dishes they'll be preparing for the party. And you're all here because of the free food you already know you will like."

"Exactly." Ching laughed.

Pucca grinned at them, "Well, take a seat and let's get to work."

0o0o0o

"So that would be..." Pucca mumbled to herself as she checked her notes, "ten main dishes, including two vegetarian alternatives. Plus three desserts. Some of us would have to serve the drinks and hors d' oeuvres from time to time during the party."

"Yup", "Sure", "Okay" came the uninterested replies. They were too busy eating to pay her any mind.

"Guys!"

"Pucca, sit down and relax. You're getting as paranoid as your uncles." Garu said.

"The food will be a hit like they always are." Ching said and Abyo mumbled in agreement.

"I guess you're right." She sat back down and pushed away her notes to make room for her bowl of rice.

They were talking and eating the remainder of the food when the topic of dates for the party came up.

"Who's going to be your date for the party, Pucca?" Abyo asked and Garu's gaze snapped towards Pucca.

"No one," came her reply and Garu visibly relaxed. "I can't have a date. I'm going to be running around and making sure everything's in order."

"You said we can relax and have fun after everything's settled." Garu reminded her.

"Yes, I said _after_." Pucca inclined her head like she always did when she was considering something, "I guess I have time to have a date..."

"I'm sure many guys already asked you, right?" Abyo prodded ignoring Garu's pointed glare. "I'm sure you turned down _a lot_ of them." He continued and Ching was looking at them curiously.

"Not really." Garu was somewhat relieved at her answer, "I just told them that I'd save them a dance. But I think I can reconsider their offer and choose a date." Garu visibly tensed again.

Ching leaned close to Abyo's ear so their companions wouldn't hear her whisper, "What are you doing?"

"I'm just speeding things along. He's taking things too slow. What if Pucca started dating someone else?" Abyo whispered back.

Garu was contemplating the same thing as he looked at Pucca who was determinedly avoiding his eyes.

"Who are they?" His voice sounded soft but deadly.

"Why do you want to know?" Pucca asked raising her eyes from her notes to look at Garu suspiciously.

"Come on Pucca... " Ching's eyes twinkled with mischief that went unnoticed by Garu and Pucca, "We're just curious."

_Curious?_ That wasn't something he'd use to describe his state now. Furious? Jealous? Possessive? He was all those things and more. Garu thought.

"Um, there's Toru, Lian, and um, Dada."

"Ugh!" Garu groaned, "Pucca, Toru's a player and a jerk."

"He's friendly to me. And he is not a jerk." Pucca crossed her arms and looked at him cooly.

"But he's still a player. And Lian is.. is" _Who's Lian?_

"You don't know him. He's a pilot and he's really nice." Pucca told him curtly.

"I still don't like him." Garu grumbled.

"_You_ aren't dancing with him." Pucca looked exasperated at him. "And I know Dada only asked me because he was upset when he saw Ring-ring accept a date from someone else."

Garu snorted in disdain.

Quickly losing her cool facade, she snapped at him, "For pete's sake, Garu! I'm only accepting a dance. Maybe even a date but it's not like I'm accepting a marriage proposal."

Garu's torturous imaginings were running wild when Pucca mentioned accepting dates and proposals. Not wanting Pucca to know just how upset he was, Garu chose not to answer.

Pucca fumed, "I don't know why you're so worked up. _You _didn't even ask me on a date." Her voice held a hint of accusation.

Ching and Abyo looked at each other then back at the two with increasing fascination.

"I didn't know you wanted me to ask you! I come near you and you jump like a cat on hot coals." Garu stood up and towered over her.

"That was _days_ ago!" Pucca surged to her feet. Her temper rising, her face became as red as her dress. "And I did _not_ want you to ask me!" She added belatedly.

"Who else asked you?" He asked in a low, thunderous voice.

"I am not going to tell you anything else!" She spat furiously.

"So someone else _did_ ask you!" Garu growled not caring how childish he sounded at that moment.

Ching coughed and the two looked startled to realize that they had an audience. "Sorry, couldn't help it, my throat itched." She looked at them apologetically and the two calmed down.

The two ended their verbal battle but ignored each other for the rest of the meal.

0o0o0o

Pucca's POV

Pucca was thinking how the days seemed to pass her like a blur as the awaited event came nearer.

But she did remember feeling surprised on the day she saw Garu's apologetic smile behind the bouquet of flowers he held in front of her. He seemed really sorry for their shouting match recently.

He had been full of surprises that day when he came to her house carrying a bag full of vegetables in one hand and a fresh fish on the other. He made them dinner and she helped alongside him.

On the days that followed, they hardly ever argued. He was being nice and he hardly ever teased her anymore.

_So what was wrong?_

He was _too _friendly and she felt that their friendship became just that. A platonic relationship.

Pucca couldn't help but feel upset at the thought that maybe this was all they would ever be. Friends who tiptoe around each other for fear of crossing a line.

What irked her most was that he wouldn't even ask her on a date for the party and those that did ask her out suddenly either backed out, asked someone else. Even Dada skittered nervously away whenever they were in he same room.

_Ugh, men! _They said women were fickle minded. So what did that make _them_?

Normally, she was a spontaneous person, she usually knew what to do even without spending time thinking about the tiniest details. But with Garu, her brain signals seemed to scramble and she wouldn't know which end was up.

_Gah! _The good thing about her Garu-chasing years was that life, at that time, was simple. Their run-chase routine was simpler than the whole push-pull signals they were experiencing now.

Garu was content with their situation but she wasn't.

Ching was right when she said that their feelings would get clearer if they spend more time with each other. There was no more uncertainty. Now she was sure Garu only wanted to be friends and that was going to be fine with her.

Pucca felt her heart clench painfully in rejection. Who was she kidding? It wasn't fine with her but this time, she was determined to get over him. It was something she should've done earlier but she was distracted when a seed of hope budded inside her.

_Stupid girl. _She actually thought that Garu could have deeper feelings for her.

Well, she now knew what to do. She's going to find a date for this party and that would be her first major step in forcing Garu out of her heart.

0o0o0o

Garu's POV

That same moment Garu was deep in thought like always. And as always, it was about Pucca.

Garu had apologized for their recent fight and had even tried to make up for it. He gave her flowers, made her dinner at her place and was trying to be nice and cooperative during the time they were working. He just wanted to make her happy.

_So what was the problem?_

Some would think that with all the time they spent together he would've found the opportunity to ask her on a date. But he couldn't.

Garu could reason that it was either because whenever he tried to tell her, someone would interrupt or that it just wasn't the right time and he wanted things things to be perfect. But that wasn't exactly the case.

The case was that the great Garu was scared witless. _Garu,_ who was a highly respected ninja in his clan, was scared of his situation with this petite red-clad girl who barely reached his chin even with her odangos on her head.

He was freaking _terrified_ that he would mess things up with her. He kept worrying that he might say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing and he would lose her.

Put him in front of an army of damned evil ninjas and he'd take care of them with ease. But put him in front of Pucca and it would be as if his usually logical brain took on leave.

That fight at Pucca's house made him painfully aware that he could lose her to other guys. Guys who either wouldn't deserve her or who would be so great he couldn't compete. Either way, he knew others were also waiting in the wings because they too could see that Pucca had brains, beauty, a big heart and a lot more layers to her complex personality.

They were getting along so well and he didn't want to compromise their relationship. He wanted more than her friendship but he'd settle for it. For now. That is until he would know what to do next.

So what was his plan?

Beats the hell out of him_._

But if he couldn't ask her yet, he'd be damned if anyone else could.

0o0o0o


	6. Falling in love over and over again

"This is it. _This is it_." Uncle Dumpling said rubbing his hands together. After weeks of planning, Goh-Rong's tenth anniversary party would finally be held that night.

"Really? We wouldn't have known if it weren't for you saying that every ten minutes." Linguini replied sarcastically though he was looking at the other chef in amusement.

Pucca giggled. "He's just as excited as we all are", she said as she was placing the giant pumpkin heads beside the pathways and near the trees. There was a light bulb inside each of it which they were going to switch on once night surfaces.

With her task done, she looked around her appreciatively. There were decorative skeletons hanging from the leafless trees surrounding the restaurant. Tables and chairs were placed outside and on the tables were candelabras and skulls which were adorned with fake cobwebs and spiders. There was also a stage which they all built and was now being decorated by Ching.

Dada and Ho wereplacing the huge banner above the stage. It was six feet long and three feet wide. It was colored red, orange and black and was decorated based on the Halloween theme they decided on since the holiday almost coincided with their anniversary.

Everything was going according to schedule but she was still feeling a bit panicky. She kept pacing back and forth, wringing her hands together and kept asking her companions if they needed help.

"You alright, Pucca?" Garu asked as jumped from the tree he was hanging skeletons on.

"Yeah, I'm just running on excessive energy right now. It's making me nervous." She said shakily.

Garu smiled and tilted her face up to meet his gaze. "Everything's going to be fine, Pucca." Pucca half-expected him to call her _love_, which was stupid since she kept telling him to stop using the endearment. "Everything's going as to how you planned it. If not, I'm here to help you."

The softened features in his face as he looked at her made her heart join her stomach in doing acrobatic turns inside her.

_No!_ She wasn't going to put any romantic illusion on how Garu treated her. "Thanks, Garu. You're a great friend" She said in gratitude as well as to remind her that that was all they were.

Garu had an inscrutable expression on his face as he stared at her. Then he gave her a tight smile before he turned to climb up the tree again.

0o0o0o

"Alright! Our work is done." Pucca smiled at the hoots and calls of the people in front of her. "We can all go home and get ready for tonight."

When the crowd departed, Ching caught up with her on her way to her scooter. "Pucca, wait!"

Pucca stopped and turned. "What is it, Ching?"

"I just thought that we should dress each other up at your place then come back here together."

"Perfect. You get your stuff and I'll meet you back home."

"Sounds like a plan." Ching grinned then skipped away.

A few hours later, Pucca kept shifting in her seat in boredom.

"Pucca, stop moving. Do you want me to mess up your makeup?" Ching scolded as she painted her lips in a deep shade of red.

A few minutes later, Pucca was shifting again in her seat as Ching put some liquid eyeliner on her closed eyelids. "Don't you dare move. And _don't_open your eyes or you'll smear your maskara and eyeliner."

"We're going to be late." Pucca said her eyes still closed. Her butt was already aching from sitting too long.

"Yes, fashionably so." Ching replied. "We'll get there when we get there. Besides, didn't your uncles tell you that you were _not_supposed to work tonight?"

"I'll do what I want," Pucca retorted lightly.

Ching shook her head. "After all our hard work, all we're supposed to concern ourselves with is looking good and having fun. Got that?" Pucca felt her hands on her head as she undid her hairstyle.

"What are you-"

"_Don't_ open your eyes."

"But-"

"Greek goddesses don't wear their hair in odango style." Pucca felt her running a brush through her hair.

"How do you know?" Pucca pouted.

"I just do" came her friend's reply.

Her unchanging hairstyle felt like her safety net against all the sudden changes in her life recently. But as she opened her eyes moments later, she didn't care. Why? Because she looked _good_, of course.

"You look hot, Pucca. Wait till Garu sees you." She stared transfixed at her own reflection and chose to ignore Ching's last statement.

Her silken mass of hair framed her face artistically and tumbled over her shoulders and back in careless fashion. Her eyes seemed dark and mysterious and her painted red lips were a stunning contrast against her light complexion and black hair. Her emerald green grecian robe skimmed down her curves and fell just above her knee exposing her legs and sandal-clad feet.

Pucca turned to grin at Ching. Even with the angel wings on her back, Ching's white cocktail dress looked sexy enough to be considered sinful.

"I think we're ready." Pucca declared.

0o0o0o

When they reached the restaurant, the party was already underway but everything seemed to be going smoothly under her uncles' supervision.

There was already a number of people on the dance floor as they all danced and sang along with the band on stage. Others were already eating while some were joining the games they provided.

Pucca couldn't help but look searchingly among the crowd. She was leaning on her toes to get a better view when she heard that achingly familiar baritone.

"Looking for someone?" She jumped back in surprise and her back slammed against something solid. "Hey..." she felt herself caught by the shoulders in a steadying gesture.

"Thanks." She mumbled then turned around to face Garu. She felt her heart stop when she saw him. "You're a pirate." She was glad it came out casually.

The red coat he wore fit his tall, lithe frame perfectly. The whiteness of the lace peeking through his long sleeves and around the strong column of his neck contrasted beautifully with his tanned skin. He didn't wear his usual hairstyle though, instead he had a low ponytail on the back of his head. His breeches and boots were both a sinful black. He didn't have a parrot or any missing limbs but he didn't seem to need those usual accessories. He already looked as dark, and dangerous as any pirate.

"More accurately, I'm a ninja pirate. I'm adding piracy to my list of credentials." he said smiling down at her. "So let me guess, you're Aphrodite."

"I don't know. I didn't pick a specific goddess." Pucca felt her traitorous heart flutter when he compared her to the goddess of love and beauty. Plus that smile of his was having a devastating effect on her composure.

"I guess I can't really categorize you as Aphrodite." Pucca felt her heart drop in disappointment. She glared at him but he only matched her look with a thinly veiled amusement. "Because you're not just as beautiful as her, you're also as smart as Athena _and_ as independent as Artemis." He continued laughingly and she swatted him on the arm.

Pucca's stupid heart slammed against her chest forcefully when she realized Garu was teasing her again. Then she told herself that they were just friends and friends tease each other, right?

"Guys!" They turned and saw Abyo make his way towards them as he wove his way through the crowd. He was garbed in all black with his black slacks, black tailcoat and collared black cape. "Where's Ching?" He asked the moment he reached them.

"Right here, handsome." Ching came from behind him and linked an arm to his. She was holding a glass of punch in her other hand. "What are you supposed to be?"

"I'm a vampire. See?" He showed them his fangs.

"Really?" Garu eyed Abyo's outfit. His plastic fangs looked a bit off next to his healthy pallor. Despite the former, he looked stylish and debonair in his dark shirt, vest and collared cape. "You don't look dead."

"I know, but there was no way I was using makeup." He wrinkled his nose in disgust then turned to the girl in his arms. "Hey Angel, let me tempt you to the dark side."

"Not if I can bring you to paradise." She said cheekily and Abyo laughed.

"You win." he said before kissing her on the lips oblivious of their surroundings. That was until Dada coughed uncomfortably to catch their attention.

"What is it?" Pucca asked.

Dada fiddled with his empty tray. "The lead vocalist is already drunk. He's still vomitting in the comfort room." he said in a voice only they could hear. "I think he's not well enough to perform again tonight."

Pucca's jaw dropped. "The party's not even halfway through!" her incredulous voice lowered to a whisper to avoid other people hearing them talk. "The guests are still expecting a live band performance tonight." She added with a groan.

"_You_ have a great singing voice. You should take his place." Ching suggested excitedly.

"Are you crazy? I'm not going to sing on stage!" forgetting to whisper, she refused loudly and the other guests heard her.

"Hey! Pucca's going to sing on stage!" One of them yelled. Then people were chanting her name amidst the sound of encouraging clapping and whistling.

"That guy has selective hearing." Pucca said as she threw a pointed look at the first guy who yelled. "He didn't hear the part where I said I was _not_ singing on stage."

"Oh, come on, Pucca." Abyo pleaded, "This is the perfect solution and the guests will love you for it."

Despite herself, her eyes sought Garu's. When he nodded encouragingly, Pucca sighed then smiled resignedly at the three. And without another word, she climbed up the stage and talked to the band members about her choice of song. Despite her nervousness of the cheering crowd, she managed to walk to the front of the stage and take the microphone from its stand.

"One, Two, Three, Four" they heard the drummer say as he tapped his drumsticks together with each count. Then the crowd cheered louder when they recognized the starting notes of the song, "Turning Tables" by Adele.

In her state of nervousness, her singing started out shakingly hesitant but became stronger by the second. Pucca closed her eyes and let herself feel the music flow through her veins and pass her lips in a sweet but powerful melody. Gaining confidence, she sang from the bottom of her heart to the top of her voice. She felt detached, as if she was watching herself perform in front of the now silent crowd.

_"...Next time, I'll be braver, I'll be my own savior,_

_standing on my own two feet..._

_Cause I won't let you close enough to hurt me._

_No, I won't ask you... you to just desert me._

_I can give you all you think you gave me._

_It's time to say goodbye_

to turning tables..."

She didn't specifically choose the song for any other reason than because she just felt like it but as each word left her lips, her mind pictured her moments with Garu. Unintentionally, her eyes searched the crowd and settled on him before she jerked her eyes away.

Pucca felt vulnerable as all her feelings became transparent to those who watched but strangely, with each word she sang, she also felt strong enough not to care about what _they_thought. She only cared about one pair of dark eyes watching her intently.

0o0o0o

Garu was sitting at their table drinking. His heart rate hadn't slowed down since he saw her standing in the middle of the crowd like a beautiful vision. The light from the lanterns blessed her skin with an ethereal look and she looked every inch the goddess she portrayed.

Now she was up on stage swaying to the beat of the music and singing her heart out and he felt like he was crumbling inside.

_"Didn't I give it all? Tried my best_

_Gave you everything I had, everything and no less_

_Didn't I do it right to let you down?_

_Maybe you got too used to for having me round..."_

Garu listened to her singing another song by Adele, "Take It All". He had to admit that her voice suited her songs.

He wasn't stupid enough not to realize that her songs reflected her feelings about the two of them. He felt as if someone punched him in the gut when their eyes connected even though he knew it wasn't deliberate.

Garu tossed back the remainder of his drink then reached again for the bottle of liquor. He filled his glass until it was full then took a long swallow. He felt the alcohol leave a burning trail down his throat. He hoped the alcohol would do its magic and numb the ache in his chest.

"Hey, easy with the scotch." Abyo said, "If you get drunk, _I_ am not going to carry you all the way to your house."

Garu ignored him then took another long swallow.

"Well, I won't. Pucca has a scooter so when you pass out, _she'll_ drive you and carry to your house."

Garu coughed when the scotch went down the wrong pipe. He glared at Abyo but Abyo wasn't paying attention to him anymore. Heeding his friend's unsolicited advice, Garu put down his half-empty glass then turned towards the stage again.

_"But go on and take it... take it all with you_

_Don't look back at this crumbling fool_

_Just take it all with my love_

_Take it all... with my love..."_

Pucca was wrong to choose this song though. He couldn't leave her even if he wanted to. If he did go, he would always find himself going back to her. They were linked together by something far beyond their comprehension. Like yin and yang, life made much more sense when they were together.

The song faded and disappeared in the exuberant applause and cheers of the audience. Pucca took a bow and, for the second time, tried to come down the stage. But her audience wouldn't let her. They kept urging her to sing another song.

"So you want to hear another song!" Pucca pasted a smile on her face as she cheerfully addressed the crowd. It wasn't a question on her part but the people roared in approval.

_That's enough._ Garu thought.

"Abyo," Abyo turned to him but his eyes were still on stage, "I need you to find any cd's that these people can dance to."

Not really knowing why, Abyo turned to him fully then nodded in agreement. Both men stood up and left their table.

0o0o0o

Pasting a smile on her face, she turned to the band yet again to tell them her choice of song. Then the weirdest thing happened. She heard the crowd cheer louder than usual and she turned to see Garu coming up the stage with a microphone in one hand.

_Surely he wasn't going to-_

"How about you hear this next song from me this time." The crowd cheered in approval and Garu turned to whisper to the band behind him who in turn nodded back in agreement.

"What are you doing?"

Garu looked at her and simply said, "Its my turn."

The band started and Pucca realized she had to get off the stage. She tried to leave but Garu grabbed her hand to stop her. "This rock song is entitled, 'Change Your Mind' by Boyce Avenue." He told the audience.

_"There you are with your perfect way,_

_You got that little shine in your eyes.."_

Pucca was tugging at her hand but she stilled when she heard Garu sing. Garu had that deep, velvety tone of voice when he spoke so it shouldn't have come as a shock to know that he could sing well. But it did. And as he looked at her with that intent expression on his face, she stared back at him in barely concealed surprise.

_"To hear one word would make my day_

_But there's no room for me in your life._

_Ooh... You got me down on my knees_

_Ooh... And in my mind I could see_

_How perfect everything could be_

_But you won't give us a try._

Pucca's eyes widened when Garu started rocking to the beat of the song his eyes alternating from the audience to her. His hand was still holding hers.

_But if I could change your mind, how will you want me?_

_Would you say you need me? 'Cause I need you now..."_

Through out the song, he made sure she knew that he was singing _to_her and _about_her much like what she did earlier. At least _he_ had't been standing in full view of everyone when she did. She felt herself burn in embarassment.

"_If I could change your mind how would you hold me?_

_Would you stay forever or just leave me here to drown?_

_Oh and if I could change your mind_

_Change your mind..._ "

When the song ended, Pucca tugged her hand free then hurried off the stage before he could stop her.

"Okay, that's it everybody. We're going to have a break. Abyo's got some of the latest tunes for you. Now if you'd excuse me, my girl just ran out on me." The protests died at his last statement and gave way to cat calls and whistles as they encouraged Garu to go after"his girl".

Pucca was seething with anger at Garu for telling the whole village that she was his and at herself for liking it. As she was going to their table to stew, she felt a hand tap her shoulder.

"Garu-" She turned fully expecting to see Garu. She was surprised to see a knight instead. "Oh, hey Lian."

"Hey, Pucca. Care to dance?" He had wavy blonde hair, blue eyes and with that warm and friendly smile on his face, he looked every inch the gallant knight she read about in books. How could she say no?

The speakers were playing a lively pop song and Lian was actually a good dance partner. She was actually enjoying herself when the song ended and another guy was taking Lian's place as her partner.

Except for Lian dressed as a knight and another guy in an awkward shark mascot, her night involved a series of mythical characters waiting to dance with her. She found herself dancing with a superhero, a beast, a devil and a miniature dragon. She was flattered by the attention since she didn't get that a lot and she was having fun for a change.

But someone else wasn't.

0o0o0o

Garu was looking darkly at the dance floor.

"Hey, man." Garu turned to see Abyo standing beside him. "I just wanted to see how you were holding up."

"I thought I told them to back off." He grumbled as he glowered at the ice cubes in his glass of scotch. Much to his chagrin, the 10-year old scotch had not much effect on him. He must be blessed- or cursed, depending on how you look at it- with a high tolerance for alcohol.

"Let me guess, you glared and sent them she-is-mine signals whenever they came 50ft near her."

"You're exagerating." Garu said dryly even though he recognized the fact that Abyo was _almost_ right. His eyes went back to Pucca. She was laughing and her long black hair was swaying behind her as she danced.

"A bit. But I bet you didn't tell them _not_ to dance with her." When Garu didn't respond, he continued, "Chill out, man. After growing up seeing her chase you around the village, they're not likely to just compete with you for her affections."

A part of him realized Abyo was right again but the only thing stopping him from jealously stomping to the dance floor and taking Pucca out of those guys' reach was that look of enjoyment on her face. He could see she was really having fun tonight and he didn't want to deprive her of that.

But when the song ended and the speakers started playing a romantic ballad, he pushed himself fom the tree he was leaning on and handed the surprised Abyo his glass. Then he started to the direction of the dancefloor.

Garu wasn't going to just stand in the shadows and watch her slow dancing with any other man but him.

0o0o0o

"Let's dance one more time, Pucca." said the shark.

"Um," Even without his costume's gigantic head and small fins, she still wouldn't feel comfortable dancing with him to such slow song. Pucca was contemplating how to gently refuse him when she noticed he was looking over her shoulder.

"May I have this dance?" she couldn't help the shiver that went down her spine at the sound of that achingly gentle, deep voice.

She jerked her head around, her gaze riveted to the tall, solemn pirate holding out a hand to her.

"I guess I'll be going." her previous partner said but she hardly heard him. In fact, she hardly noticed anything else but Garu's piercing dark eyes directed at her.

She knew she was supposed to say something but all she did was let him take her hands in his and place them over his shoulders. Garu held her by the waist and started swaying left and right in rythm to the romantic ballad.

They stayed like that for a long while, locked in each other's gaze dancing slowly, closely from one ballad to the next.

Neither of them noticed the two figures manning the cd player and purposefully choosing to play slow love songs. They watched the dancefloor with increasing interest like it was a movie reaching its climax.

Pucca's hand slid from his shoulder to his chest. She felt the his heart hammering on his chest. Her eyes turned to him questioningly.

"Garu?" she mouthed. Pucca's eyes held so much questions. But Garu didn't answer. Instead, his eyes dropped to her painted red lips and Pucca felt his heart beat even faster beneath her palm. Garu's hands slid from her waist to her hips and he lowered his head to capture her lips with his.

Pucca's own heart thundered with both shock and pleasure. She felt like she was about to explode from all the sensations buzzing through her body.

Pucca mentally battled with her wanton self to hold on to her fleeing sanity and lost. Unable to think about anything else, she linked her hands to the back of his neck and pressed him closer to her. She parted her lips invitingly and she heard him groan in pleasure. His tongue slowly drove into her hungry mouth to meet hers and she gave an answering moan.

Reality intruded when the sound of cheering penetrated her dulled brain. She looked around and saw everyone, including her friends and her uncles, cheering happily as they looked at them.

With a tremendous amount of strength and will power she didn't know she possessed, she tore her lips from him. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him horrified at what she had done.

Not knowing what else to do, she pushed against his chest and ran. She didn't see the angry desolation and the helpless yearning that clouded Garu's eyes when she did so.

Blindly, she ran from the villagers who wrongly believed that Garu and her were together, from the friends who wrongly believed that they loved each other. And she ran from the forcefully magnetic man who made her believe for a while that those people could be right.

As if her life depended on it, Pucca ran.

As if _his_ life depended on it, Garu ran after her.

And as if entanced by what was happening, the crowd parted to let them through.

0o0o0o

Pucca heard Garu calling her name desperately chasing after her but still she ran.

With tears blurring her vision, she didn't know how she found herself in the right path towards her house.

_Almost there,_she thought. She pumped her legs faster her feet crunching on the gravel and dried autumn leaves.

She screamed when she felt two steely arms wrap around her waist. She felt herself falling forward but Garu twisted them and she fell safely on top of him. She struggled uselessly against the iron grip.

After a while, she was too tired to try to pry herself free.

"Let me go, Garu." her voice sounded choked. Hearing the desperation in her voice, he complied. Pucca scrambled to her feet and turned to him. "Can't you just leave me alone? Despite what you let everyone believe, I am_not_ your girl." Fury and pain blazed through her when she said the words.

Garu moved towards her a hand reaching out to hold her. "I said leave me alone!" Following an impulse, Pucca saw her hand fly out and connect to his cheek with a loud crack. Pucca stared at the red mark on his cheek with a mixture of shock and guilt. "Garu I- I'm sorry... I didn't mean to."

Garu shook his head, "If it makes you feel any better, I know I deserved it."

"No you don't." she ironically found herself trying to defend Garu from himself despite her earlier anger with him.

"Really? I know you have every right to be angry at me. I can't even blame you for not believing I'm sincere with my feelings toward you." He laughed bitterly, "After years of rejecting your affections, rejecting you, here I am wanting to stop you from moving on to some guy who would probably not give you a moment's grief.

"I know it's best for you to let you move on but _I can't_. I feel selfish and dishonorable but I can't find it in me to imagine you happy with someone else." Garu's eyes filled with tortured regret and sorrow.

Her own anger spent, she just felt emotionally drained. "Garu, you don't know what you want." With that, Pucca turned and walked away feeling as if her feet got heavier with every step.

"Please, don't run away from me... I- I'm not as strong as you had been all these years. I can barely take watching you turn from me." She heard Garu say hoarsely.

"Don't talk like that." Pucca felt foolish tears burn her eyes again. "Someday you'll find the perfect girl and all you'll want from me is friendship. I feel dread everyday thinking that you will meet her." She said without turning.

"I don't want that girl. I just want you, imperfections and all. Pucca, I love-" Pucca turned sharply.

"Don't say that! Don't say that unless its forever. You can't say that when you're just going to get over me like you always do." Pucca willed her eyes to dry and her body to stop trembling.

"Dammit Pucca! Stop telling me what I'll do and won't do! You think this is easy for me? Knowing that it was because of my stupidity that you turned away?" Garu lashed out. Then looking as if he too felt drained he continued sadly, "Give yourself some justice, Pucca. Don't think you're someone I can easily get over. Everytime I try to do it, I would see you do any little thing like blush or smile and I feel like I'm falling in love again. And I just can't stop myself."

He looked so vulnerable and sincere and there was no lingering confusion in his eyes when he said, "Pucca, I do love you."

Pucca felt her heart swell with emotions and giving in to temptation, she ran towards him.

0o0o0o

Garu saw Pucca's features soften. Then for what seemed like the thousandth time, he wondered how he could have had ran away from someone so poignantly beautiful and trusting. So when Pucca ran and flung herself into his arms, he caught her to him like what he dreamed he'd do if given the chance again.

_God, how he loved her_. "I'd hold you like this forever if I could." He said tenderly laying a hand on her wet cheek.

Pucca turned her face to his palm and said, "I love you."

With those few words, Garu felt his life fall rightfully into place.

Pucca entwined her arms around his neck and pulled his face down to her. Their lips were agonizingly close when she whispered, "Kiss me..."

Not needing to be told twice, Garu's mouth covered hers in a heated, wet kiss. His tongue plunged and stroked against hers. His hands roamed her back freely.

Pucca strained her body nearer to him. She caressed his nape then undid his ponytail so she could thrust her fingers to his hair.

Finally, Garu broke the kiss and they stared at each other breathlessly.

Pucca looked up at him with passion-glazed eyes. Her lips were swollen and her cheeks were flushed. "What are you thinking?" she asked her voice low and sensual and her eyes twinkling mischievously.

Garu's eyes smoldered with pent up desire. He was looking at her lips hungrily, when he answered, "I'm thinking about how lucky I am that your house is only a few feet away."

Garu stopped her giggling with a kiss. Then without breaking his contact with her lips, he swept her to his arms and carried her to the privacy of her home.

The End

0o0o0o

**Author's Notes: Soo... that's it. My first multi-chapter story. Thank you for the reviews:)**


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